The Best Birthday
by LOTReader
Summary: Since fleeing the Lonely Mountain, birthday parties have been a low priority. But Kili is determined that this year, he will have the best birthday ever! Featuring dwarfling friendships: Kili, Fili, and Gimli
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Just a quick one-shot written for _Ember Sorenson_. Hope you enjoy! Also, for reference: in my head canon, 30 for Dwarves is roughly 10 (or a tad younger) for Humans. The timeline has been melded into my idea of somewhere between what is presented in the book & the movies, in case anyone is looking that closely. :)

As always, thanks for reading & reviewing!

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**The Best Birthday**

Birthdays were often not fun.

Kili sighed, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, as if the weight of the entire world rested upon his shoulders.

He had been listening to the older dwarves in the caravan, and Bofur had mentioned a fondness for birthday celebrations that were held Before The Dragon Came. Kili had listened, wide eyed and open mouthed at the thought of such dazzling splendors of feasts and music and ale... Mum wouldn't let him have ale, even if they _did_ have it, but lamb, and fish, and pork, and bread, and jam, and cake... his little heart sighed in both envy and delight.

Of course, Kili couldn't remember if he'd ever had such a magnificant birthday Before. He had only been just barely seven when they fled the Mountain. Birthdays that he had remembered since then could not even possibly hold a candle to the delights spun in golden fantasy by Bofur's tales.

When Kili had turned ten, they had been in Rhûn. The Men there were particularly unfriendly and Mum and Da had been hyper-vigilant against any threats that came near. So no great celebration.

Then Mum hadn't acknowledged his birthday at all when he turned fourteen. Duris had tried to distract him from the fact, but no one had been in the mood to celebrate. Not when his Da had been killed while fighting goblins only a month earlier. A similar pall had been cast over his birthday two years later, after Azanulbizar.

Battles that killed his family were not anything like the great parties Bofur described as birthday celebrations.

But this year was a _special_ year. This year, Kili wanted a _real_ birthday party more than anything. He would be nearly half grown and Uncle had promised that he would take him on for serious weapon training. Or, if Kili proved better at axe than sword, Dwalin would see to his training. Kili would _finally_ have a real blade, not a blunted one, and he would be able to join Fili in battle practice.

The only thing that would make it better would be a party.

"Kee," a dwarfess ruffled his messy hair as she reached her cart where he sat moping. "What are you doing here, sitting so still and solemn?"

"Duris, I want a party."

She smiled. "A party?"

"Yes. With music and dancing and lots and lots and _lots_ of food. Especially cake. Lots of cake, Duris."

"Cake is hard to come by, Kili."

"But Duris," he wheedled, "it's going to be my _birthday_. And it's an extra special birthday, too!"

"Oh?" she raised her eyebrow. "Are you going to be seventy, a strong, full grown dwarf?"

"No."

"Hmmm," she teased, "then maybe you'll be fifty, ready to begin an apprenticeship?"

Kili giggled, "No!"

"No? Then what birthday could this possibly be? I'm sure you're not going to be only ten years old!"

The young dwarfling could not contain himself any longer. "I'm going to be thirty!"

"Thirty?" the dwarfess confirmed, "well, my goodness, but you certainly are turning an important age."

"That's why I want a party."

"Hmm," she did not make any promise, but Kili knew he had chosen the right grownup to ask. Mum was often away, Uncle Thorin didn't particularly like parties, but Duris was his foster mum and she hadn't immediately said no. If he could convince Duris, she would surely be able to make it happen.

"And you'll make an excellent party, right? With sweets and everything?"

"We'll see."

* * *

"Today is my birthday!" Kili leaped from his bedroll before tackling his still sleeping brother. "Wake up, wake up! Today is my birthday!"

Fili covered his head with his hands. "Go back to sleep; it isn't your birthday yet."

"Yes it is, yes it is," Kili cried jubilantly, "and Duris and Uncle _both_ promised that they would do something nice for my birthday. Something _really_ special."

Kili leaned back on his heels, imagining what greatness surely lay ahead. "I bet Duris made me a cake. An entire cake, just for me! And maybe a little one for the rest of you. And Uncle probably made me a sword. A sword that will be great and mighty!"

Fili snorted. "Practice swords are not great or mighty. Especially not in the hands of Kili the Wimpy, not strong enough to even lift one by himself."

Kili scowled momentarily, but another prospect soon delighted his mind. "And what did you do, Fee? For my birthday?"

Fili turned back into his own bedroll. "I'm not telling until it's properly morning."

"Fi-li," Kili begged, "come on, it's my birthday! And I got up early for you on _your_ birthday."

"When I also wanted to sleep."

"And don't you want to get up and see what Gimli is getting me? I bet it will be amazing. Because it's a very special birthday."

"Yes, Kili. You've been saying that."

"When do you think I'll get to see Gimli? Will he be coming in the morning, or will he have to wait until after noon?"

Lifting his head slightly, Fili glared one blue eye at his younger brother. "You should go check now."

"Now?"

"Yes. Now." Fili dropped his head back into his arms. "I'm sure he'd like that."

Kili grinned, liking that idea above all things. "Alright. And I'll come back and show you what he gave me!"

"You do that."

Scampering off his brother's back, Kili snuck around carts and tents as he made his way across the camp to where Gimli lived with his parents and younger siblings.

Gloin and Hwyne had already left on morning chores, leaving Gimli in charge. Goilin and Gror were helping, but Hwylla was screaming.

"Hi, Gimli!" Kili plopped down next to his younger friend. "Today's my birthday."

"Yeah."

A moment passed, when Baby Hwylla screamed with all her might and flailed her arms, hitting her eldest brother in the eye, before a gleam came into Gimli's eyes. "Kili, you only have one brother."

"Uh huh," Kili answered. It was really hard to stay excited for whatever present Gimli had made for him when Hwylla kept screaming, her face red and blotchy with tears running from her eyes. It was distracting. And not fun to be around.

"I have _two_ brothers," Gimli continued, "and a sister. That doesn't seem fair. I mean, you don't have _any_ younger brothers or sisters at all."

"No." And, before Hwylla had screamed loud enough to wake the dead, Kili had felt a little left out because of it. Now, by the mere fact of no adults running to comfort her, he had the sneaking suspicion that Hwylla did that all the time. She certainly had whenever he was around.

"Then, here," Gimli thrust the squalling baby into his friend's arms. "Happy birthday, Kili!"

"What?" Kili caught the baby on impulse, really not keen on the idea at all.

Hwylla whimpered, as if gearing up for another long scream. But instead, she blinked her murky greenish brown eyes and just stared up at him.

"See?" Gimli continued to push the idea on him. "She likes you. She'll make a great little sister for you, Kili. And then _you_ can be the big brother."

Holding her awkwardly, Kili tried to bounce her like he'd seen other dwarves do. And the baby didn't holler. She giggled. Or gurgled. Kili wasn't really sure, but the baby seemed to like it.

Grinning, Kili took his eyes off the baby for a moment. "Thanks, Gimli! I'll be a great big brother, I promise!"

Gimli nodded. "It's only right to share."

Kili looked down at Hwylla again, grinning and quickly plotting all the things that Fili and he did, that he could now do, but be the bigger, stronger brother. "I can't wait to show Fee! This is the best birthday ever!"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I realized that I forgot to mention that I don't own the Hobbit... if you recognize anything, it isn't mine. I just enjoy playing with the characters. :) This was intended to be a one-shot, but a short story idea has bloomed in my mind. I think it will result in ~4 total chapters. As always, thanks for reading & reviewing!

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**The Best Birthday**

Thorin Oakenshield held a soft spot in his heart for his nephews, particularly Kili. Fili looked exactly like his father Farin had, but the Line of Durin shone powerfully strong in Kili. Thorin often thought it was almost like looking at an image of himself when he had been young.

So when Duris had asked him to help do something for the lad's birthday, it had not taken much to convince him. He had already forged a short sword sized for Kili and now would only try to pull together a few more bits and pieces that she had suggested. They were currently in the plains of Rohan, and the Horselords were not overly fond of Dwarves, but Thorin would do his best to commemorate Kili's thirtieth birthday.

Duris had not mentioned it, but it was unlikely Dis would celebrate much. Especially on a special occasion, his sister would spend more time than usual honing her fighting skills to dull the pain of her husband's absence. Thorin understood the desire, but he was growing impatient with Dis. She was not the only one to experience loss; all Dwarves had. If she kept this up, Fili and Kili would be more his sons than hers.

Shaking his scowl from his face, Thorin finished wrapping the practice blade in protective leather. Kili was not very strong yet, so while it was long enough to be considered a lad's first true blade, it might also be confused by some for a long fighting knife. Kili would not care. The lad would be that much prouder when he advanced to a longer sword once his arm strength improved.

Though it was early yet, Thorin was certain that Kili had already awoken. However, rather than being attacked by an excited Kili, Thorin looked up to see Fili coming to get him.

"Uncle!" Fili glared fiercely, "I didn't get a sister when I turned thirty!"

Of all the accusations, Thorin had not anticipated that one. "What? Why would you get a sister?"

Fili crossed his arms. "Kili did."

"That's impossible."

"Why? And now he's saying that he's going to go adventuring and retaking the Mountain _with her_!"

Pulling his uncle along in righteous indignation, Fili brought Thorin to the cart where Kili was currently rocking a baby.

Kili stopped his litany of all the fun adventures he was expecting the baby to participate in when he noticed the return of his brother with his uncle. A wide grin split his face. "Uncle Thorin! Look what I got for my birthday!"

Thorin frowned, taking in the babe's tufts of brilliant red hair. "Is that Gloin's daughter?"

"Gimli gave her to me."

"Kili, you cannot get a baby for a birthday present."

"But I did. Isn't she pretty? When she's not screaming? I'll be the best big brother ever!"

Thorin crossed his arms. "Kili, you have to give her back."

Kili scrunched his eyebrows, clearly not happy at the prospect. "If I give Hwylla back, can I get my own baby?"

"No. It doesn't work that way."

"You need a Mum _and_ a Dad to get a baby," Fili cut in knowledgeably. "Our Dad's dead, so we can't have any more brothers or sisters."

Turning his attention to Thorin, the blonde dwarfling began plotting. "But we have Uncle Thorin. We could have cousins if –"

"No." Thorin wanted that thought shut down immediately.

Kili latched onto the new idea with a vengeance. "Yes, yes, yes! Uncle Thorin could be a Dad and… and…"

"Duris could be the Mum." Fili finished.

Kili nodded his agreement. "I like her. She'd make a good mum. And we'd be very, very good big brother cousins, Uncle! I'll go tell her now!"

"No!" Thorin barely caught Kili by the scruff of his coat. This was rapidly spiraling out of control, but he sure as the Mountain did not need the idea of him and a baby in the same thought planted in Duris's head. He didn't need the idea either, but it was too late for that.

"Why not?" Kili questioned. "It's a great plan."

Extremely displeased at being forgotten and set on the ground alone, Gloin's daughter started screaming.

"Dwarf women –" Thorin scrambled to think as the babe produced such a racket.

Fili picked up the baby, trying to bounce her into being quiet again. "What about dwarf women?"

"Even bitty ones," Thorin nodded to Hwylla, "don't like it when you don't do exactly what they say. Or tell them what to do."

Kili frowned. "But –"

"And the bigger they get, the more racket they make when they're unhappy," Thorin forged ahead, "so it would be a _very_ bad idea to tell Duris you want her to have a baby."

Fili shifted Hwylla to his other side, wincing as his other ear took the brunt of her screaming. "It'd be much better to have a puppy."

"A puppy?"

"I'm sure that a puppy would make it so Kili wouldn't have to ask for a cousin."

That clever little… Thorin had been the one firmly against the idea and Fili knew it.

"Bofur's dog has a new litter that's old enough to leave their mum," Fili continued so innocently that Thorin did not believe the act for a moment. "A puppy would be a great incentive, don't you think so, Kili?"

"Yes!" Kili exclaimed, though Thorin wasn't convinced Kili knew what an _incentive_ was.

Deciding that bribery was perhaps the best course of action in this case, Thorin met Kili's eyes squarely. "_If_ you return the baby to Gloin and Hwyne, _if_ you never tell Duris, or your mum, or anyone else about having a baby sister or cousin of your own, and _if _you take care of the puppy yourself, _then_ you may keep a puppy. I'll fix it with your mum."

"Truly?"

"If you keep your promise."

Kili nodded solemnly. "I promise."

Fili, in contrast, grinned with a decided air of both relief and accomplishment. "Happy Birthday, Kili."

"For what?"

"For getting Uncle to let you have a puppy."

A wide smile brightening his entire face, Kili hugged Fili impulsively. "I _knew_ you had gotten a great present for me, Fee!" Tugging the babe away from his brother, Kili turned to Thorin as he awkwardly hitched the baby up in his arms. "I promise I'll do it, Uncle. I'll give Hwylla back right away and I'll never, never, _never_ tell anyone about wanting a baby for keeps. Especially not Mum or Duris."

Fili moved to follow his younger brother, but Thorin caught him by the shoulder. "_Rayad_…"

"Yes?"

As Kili left, Thorin held his heir's gaze steadily for many long moments before speaking. "Kili's promise extends to you as well. And as you are responsible for initiating the agreement, you will be held accountable if he breaks his word. Understood?"

Suitably informed of the burden of his responsibility for his young, often babbling, younger brother, Fili nodded. "Yes, Uncle Thorin."

"Go on then," Thorin raised his eyebrows, smiling even as he folded his arms across his chest. "If you're to have a puppy, make sure Kili picks the best of the litter."

Happy to know his uncle had not remained angry, Fili grinned as he ran to catch up with Kili.

Thorin shook his head. Those two… Mahal had blessed him by only bestowing two such ornery nephews. Any more to try to keep in line would surely have been a hardship indeed.


End file.
